Cleveland Indians 3, Chicago White Sox 2: Yan Gomes powers Tribe

Cleveland Indians' Yan Gomes watches his two-run home run off Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Javy Guerra in the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 13, 2014, in Cleveland. Gomes' home run gave the Indians a 3-2 win. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

The Indians’ last game before the All-Star break on July 13 personified their entire first half: They almost won, then they almost lost, then they won.
Barely.
After almost winning, 1-0, and almost losing, 2-1, Yan Gomes hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Indians a 3-2 win over the White Sox.
The Indians go into the All-Star break sitting right at sea level: 47-47.
“I wish our record was better,” said Manager Terry Francona. “But I think the way we played (to get back to .500), the next two months, if we play good baseball, it’s going to be very exciting. For all that’s happened to us, it’s in front of us now. We are where we are, and if we can play well, we can climb back into it and play relevant games at the end.”
Gomes, who drove in all the Indians’ runs in the game and is becoming more and more relevant as the season progresses, agrees with his manager.
“We’re right there,” said Gomes. “I really feel in this series we might have turned the corner.”
Thanks to another strong start from Trevor Bauer, who pitched 6 2/3 innings while striking out a career-high 10, the Indians took a 1-0 lead into the top of the eighth inning.
But with one out, reliever Bryan Shaw gave up a single to Conor Gillaspie, then promptly wild-pitched Gillaspie to second base. Gordon Beckham then hit a roller up the middle. Second baseman Jason Kipnis tried to backhand the ball, but it rolled past him and into center field for a game-tying RBI single.
“Instead of knocking it down, he tried to make a play, and the ball got under his glove,” Francona said.
One out later, Leury Garcia singled to center, scoring Beckham and giving the White Sox a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth Nick Swisher singled, and then Gomes blasted an opposite-field home run, the ball just sneaking over the wall in right field off reliever Javy Guerra (0-2).
“I’m thrilled for him, because he was a little under the weather today, but he didn’t want to come out of the game,” said Francona.
“I was just trying to do the same thing Swish did, and just get a hit. I definitely wasn’t thinking about doing that,” said Gomes of the home run.
Gomes goes into the break hitting .261 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI. Despite an uncharacteristically high error total, Gomes is one of the best throwing catchers in the league.
He might even be emerging into one of the best catchers in the American League, period.
“I thought he became that last year, “Francona said. “You almost want your catcher to become an indispensable player, and he’s rapidly becoming that for us.”
Prior to all that late action, it was Bauer’s game. Although he threw 117 pitches and gave up eight hits, he still pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings.
“Trevor was really good,” said Francona. “He competed, as usual, he used all his pitches, and threw strikes. He had some guys on base, but didn’t let them score. He got better as the game went on, and his pitch count tells you what we think of him.”
The Indians’ took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Gomes, and Bauer, who pitched well enough to win but had to settle for no decision, made it stand up until leaving with two outs in the seventh inning.
“The biggest thing,” said Bauer, “is we got the win and go into the break on a good note.”